Antelope Intros is a recurring GCU Today feature that introduces some of our new employees to the people around them in a way that is fun and informative. Employees are eligible to be featured in the month following their orientation.
ALYSSA BEAUREGARD
Job title: University counselor, Military Division
Job location: 27th Avenue
What attracted you to GCU? GCU has had a powerful hand in shifting the comfort level of the community surrounding it. Partnering with the Phoenix Police Department, high schools, elementary schools, Habitat for Humanity and various other organizations has not only brought together the neighboring families as well as the student body on campus. It is transforming the safety and collective purpose of the city. When President Brian Mueller spoke to our new hire class the first day of training, he said, “A university’s job is to transform minds. I can’t think of a better way to do that than having those minds transform the world (community) around them.”
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I love finding adventure; I travel spontaneously. I have traveled all over the country for business, from Seattle to New York. Unfortunately, I’ve only been outside the country a handful of times, but Ireland is next on the list. The best adventure was waking up in the New Year and getting in the car with no plans of where we wanted to go. We ended up finding a motel in the mountains and exploring a new town.
What are you passionate about? Meeting new people (hello!).
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? Live music and local coffee shops. Elevate Coffee Company is my favorite. It's locally owned and has live music.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I grew up playing ice hockey on an all-boys team. I always had to work twice as hard in order to be taken seriously. I remember having to hide my hair because if the other team realized I was a girl, I would have a target on my back. I was so small, so being checked into the boards would rock me.
What are you most proud of? Planning the 2016 Village Conference. “VILLAGE” stands for Villages Integrating Learning, Love, Advocacy and Growth into Education. It was a conference hosted by Head Start that brought together professionals, educators, families, and administration to learn and work together because it takes a village to raise a child."
